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“Time for Her to Lead,” ANC Women’s League Renews Call for South Africa’s First Female President
A legacy that sparks new demands
At a memorial lecture honouring the late ANC stalwart Gertrude Shope in Pretoria, the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) made its strongest statement yet: South Africa’s next president should be a woman.
National Executive Committee member Boitumelo Moiloa told the gathering that the search for a female leader was no longer symbolic but essential. It was time, she said, to ensure Shope’s legacy inspired more than remembrance; it should drive action.
Missed chances on the road to leadership
South Africa has come close before. In 2017, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma lost the ANC leadership race to Cyril Ramaphosa, ending what had been the country’s closest step toward a female president.
An earlier moment passed in 2008 when then Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was overlooked after Thabo Mbeki’s resignation. Mlambo-Ngcuka went on to make history as South Africa’s first female Deputy President and later served as Executive Director of UN Women from 2013 to 2021, cementing her role as a global champion for equality.
Last year, Naledi Pandor revealed she regretted declining a nomination for deputy president at the 2017 ANC conference, when Ramaphosa had tapped her as a potential running mate. It was a decision she now admits could have shifted history.
Calls for women to lead beyond the podium
ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane told the lecture that women in the party must be trusted with executive roles, not just symbolic positions. “We must have women as mayors, not only speakers. Like Ma Shope, women must speak truth to power and decide they can lead the ANC themselves,” she said.
Mokonyane’s comments reflect ongoing frustration among women leaders who argue that despite decades of activism and grassroots leadership, political breakthroughs at the very top have been blocked.
Remembering Shope’s example
Former International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor described Gertrude Shope as fearless, selfless, and committed to the rights of women and the freedom of her people. She recalled Shope’s role in the historic 1956 Women’s March and her refusal to pursue fame or personal gain, even while criticising the flaws of the present government.
For the ANCWL, Shope’s example is both a moral compass and a rallying cry for younger generations. “Women are the drivers of society,” the league told attendees, urging young women to carry Shope’s legacy forward and claim their place in shaping Africa’s development agenda.
A national conversation reignited
The debate around a female president is not confined to the ANC. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have also voiced their support for a woman head of state. With elections looming and leadership contests intensifying, the question is no longer whether South Africa is ready but whether the political establishment is willing.
Also read: Cape Town’s Anti-Gang Unit in Crisis: Mayor Urges Police Minister to Step In
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Vote ANC
